Paris : Sleep
No. There is no shortage of hotels in Paris, possibly because it is the most visited city in the world. Accommodation ranges from the gigantic Hilton to the smaller independent hotel half-hidden by ivy on a cobblestone street, via the concept boutique hotels where you go to look and be seen.There are the palatial hotels of the ‘golden triangle’ (such as the George V and Hôtel Plaza Athénée), and those in or around the place Vendôme (the Ritz). Of these, the Crillon must be the most spectacular, taking the chintzy gold leaf and marble look to vertiginous new heights. Then there are the wonderfully preserved hotels of old, run by the same family for almost a hundred years (the Raphael), as well as the traditional hotels that have been given a contemporary make-over (the Sers). And there are quirky one-offs with eccentric proprietors (Hôtel Caron de Beaumarchais), or the intimate, hidden treasures of the Left Bank, filled to the brim with character and antiques (Hôtel de L’Abbaye, Duc de Saint-Simon, Grandes Écoles).
Most hotels are steeped in history. You can live beyond your means, as Oscar Wilde did at L’Hôtel, drink like Hemingway in his eponymous bar at the Ritz or indulge in some abstract musing in the Hotel des Grands Hommes, where André Breton wrote his Surrealist Manifesto. You can rest your head in what used to be a 13th-century cloister at the Relais Christine or in a former World War II general’s HQ at Pershing Hall, or even have your breakfast in a 15th-century tennis court at Hôtel du Jeu de Paume.
In recent years Paris has witnessed a surge in designer boutique hotels of every style and mood, from Jacques Garcia’s opulent Napoleonic-boudoir interiors of the Bourg-Tibourg in the heart of the Marais and the Hôtel Costes on the exclusive shopping street of Saint-Honoré, to the pure bordello style of Villa Royale in the red-light district of Pigalle. There is minimalism to be found in Bel Ami in the literary Saint-Germain-des-Prés and places in which to fulfil rock-star fantasies, such as Kube near the Gare du Nord.
If it hasn’t been designed by Garcia, Méchiche or Putman, it is likely to have been by one of their protégés, and Parisians are continuing to push the boundaries further with innovative concepts in hotel décor: haute couture’s Christian Lacroix came up with the kooky look for the Hôtel du Petit Moulin, while Hôtel Amore sees hoteliers collaborating with club owners to commission contemporary artists such as Sophie Calle to decorate the rooms.
Parisians pride themselves on excellence of service, where the concierge becomes your personal butler. They comply to your every whim and fancy, best illustrated by the staff at the Hotel Meurice’s granting Salvador Dali’s request for a herd of sheep. Boutique hotels have replaced discreet gentleman concierges with well-heeled sassy ladies who behave more like your agent. Some have gone further at dispensing with the traditional formalities: the Sezz has scrapped the idea of a reception desk altogether.
Internet access, mini-bar and room service are standard, while many hotels now offer free WiFi and a direct telephone line too; and some will even compete for your custom with a complementary mini-bar (Pershing Hall). Most hotels charge breakfast as an extra, and although taking le petit-d at the Ritz or Plaza Athénée is the ultimate hedonist’s start to the day (€80 approx.), it’s a good reason to venture out and explore the many atmospheric street cafés Paris has to offer.
Be prepared to book well in advance, especially during the fashion weeks (first week in October, last week in January, last week in February, first week in March), and be warned that most boutique hotels are truly boutique in size.
Rates given are for a double room in low season to a suite in high season.
